A 43-year-old moped rider died Sunday after rear-ending a pickup in Kalihi, police said.
The moped rider crashed into the Ford F-150 in the 1530 block of Hala Drive at about 8 a.m., police said.
The driver of the truck, a 58-year-old Kalihi man, had reversed his truck out of a driveway and left it in the road to close his gate. The moped rider struck the truck after the driver got back in, police said, and died at the scene.
It was the 26th traffic fatality on Oahu this year, compared with 27 at this time last year.
Man suspected in house fire in Hauula
A 41-year-old man was in custody Sunday after starting a fire that caused major damage to a home in Hauula, authorities said.
The man was booked on suspicion of first-degree arson at 5:24 p.m. Police said the man was found nearby and arrested without incident.
Nine fire companies with 31 firefighters responded to 54-025 Hauula Homestead Road at about 3:50 p.m. Saturday and found smoke coming from the front of a single-story family home, said Honolulu Fire Department Capt. David Jenkins.
Firefighters contained the blaze to the living room and extinguished the fire at 4:07 p.m.
One man was home when the fire erupted and escaped unharmed, Jenkins said. He said a fire investigator determined the fire was intentionally set and turned the case over to police. The fire caused $45,000 in damage.
Kaneohe man accused of stealing backhoe
A 44-year-old man was arrested Saturday for stealing a backhoe in Kaneohe, police said.
The man, who has a Kaneohe address, was seen operating the backhoe at about 11:15 a.m. Saturday, police said.
Officers responded and arrested the man on Lilipuna Road for investigation of first-degree theft and unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle.
Blaze destroys playground equipment
Fire destroyed a playground structure Sunday afternoon at Jefferson Elementary School in Waikiki.
The fire was reported at 3:45 p.m. A Honolulu Fire Department crew arrived three minutes later and quickly controlled and extinguished the fire. The fire melted much of the plastic-and-metal structure and damaged the rubberized surface beneath it. The cause of the fire was undetermined.
